QUEEN Elizabeth Stakes winner Puissance De Lune is likely to follow a similar autumn path to last week's Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon as his connections explore the wealth of options in 2013 for the rising star stayer.

The Darren Weir-trained grey import was installed as an $8 chance to win the 2013 Melbourne Cup after Saturday's extraordinary romp in the group 3 race, but before the Cup can be considered, connections must ensure he earns enough weight from the handicapper to allow a measured spring campaign into the race.

Weir said on Sunday that Puissance De Lune would have a light campaign in the autumn, but the stable was aware that he might yet need more credits to earn a Melbourne Cup berth next year.

Noted form analyst Deane Lester, who will be consulted as to the best path for the horse next year, said on radio RSN yesterday that the autumn options included a first-up run in the group 2 Blamey Stakes over 1600 metres at Flemington in March - the race won first-up this year by Green Moon, who was then immediately spelled for the spring carnival.

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A race like the 2000-metre Easter Cup at Caulfield in April would then be considered before Puissance De Lune is put away for a break before he begins a long build-up to the 2013 Melbourne Cup.

Despite the dominance of his five-length win in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes last Saturday, Puissance De Lune may have work to do before earning a Melbourne Cup start judging on what was needed to make the final cut this year.

Last year's Queen Elizabeth winner Ironstein, who, while not winning with anywhere near the same authority as Puissance De Lune at the weekend, still won by 2¼-lengths, and his profile before that race was stronger than that of the former French horse, who had his 12th start and only his eighth in Australia last Saturday.

Ironstein went into the Queen Elizabeth last year with wins in the group 2 Tatts Cup at Eagle Farm and the listed McKell Cup at Rosehill during the winter months. The previous year he had won the listed Caloundra Cup.

With the group 3 Queen Elizabeth added to his record, he earned a Melbourne Cup weight of 52.5 kilograms, which was not enough to gain a Melbourne Cup start six days ago.

Puissance De Lune's only win of note before last Saturday came 10 days earlier when he won the listed Bendigo Cup (2400 metres) by eight lengths.

The grey is, therefore, likely to need a further credit in the autumn to rise up the handicaps to a safe level in the Melbourne Cup. If he does not win in the autumn, his spring campaign will then have to be devised around him earning a Cup penalty or winning a ballot-free race simply to make it into the Melbourne Cup.

The other problems facing Puissance De Lune is the Melbourne Cup's growing reputation. More horses and better horses from all around the world are expected to target the race in 2013 and if the Japanese horses can overcome quarantine obstacles and come to Melbourne, the older horses may need 53.5 or even 54 kilograms to ensure a start.

■ Sydney trainer John O'Shea confirmed yesterday that Australia will have at least one international runner before the end of the year, with Patinack Farm Classic runner-up Sea Siren certain to go to the Hong Kong Sprint next month.

O'Shea said the three-time group 1-winning mare gave the eventual Patinack winner Mental a cart into the race. ''If he doesn't get on our back, then you probably change the result,'' he said.

As for Mental, he goes into quarantine next week to prepare to leave our shores and join his owner Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin stable. The July Cup at Newmarket will be his primary goal in 2013.